Arizona Oasis: The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Dove Mountain

The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Dove Mountain, Arizona is a golf resort community, high in the Sonoran Desert, backed by the five-star Ritz-Carlton. Spectacular desert scenery, nestled in the Tortolita Foothills, under wide-open skies offering a riot of colors in orange, pink, and purple sunsets. Miles and miles of natural space for hiking and biking. The challenge of 81 holes of golf in the region, including the Ritz-Carlton’s own Jack Nicklaus-designed 26 holes, the setting for the PGA Tour’s WGC Accenture Match Play Championship. World-class spas (think Ritz-Carlton, Canyon Ranch, Miraval.) Proximity to Tucson, which has all the amenities of a modern city, including the intellectual scene surrounding a prestigious research university, the University of Arizona. Climate? Ideal three seasons of the year and cooler in summer than other Southwestern desert areas, such as Palm Springs and Scottsdale.

A Jack Nicklaus Signature Course at the Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain .

Affiliated with the Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain, the Residences offer private single-family home ownership in eight customizable floor plans, and homesites on lots as large as seven acres. Residents enjoy the best of single-family homeownership and have access to the Ritz-Carlton’s amenities: golf, pools and cabanas, a 235-foot water slide, a spa and fitness center, and kids’ programs. Thinking ahead about where to hightail for winter, we’re taking a look at a stunning home now for sale in this magical desert setting.

The Seven Saguaros neighborhood of the Ritz-Carlton Residences Dove Mountain offers homesites for custom building on lots from one-half to one acre, with views of the golf course and surrounding hillside. The section is named for a prominent feature of the landscape. Pronounced “sah-wah-rohs,” they’re the iconic Arizona cacti with arm-like branches seeming to reach for the sky. Interesting trivia: These cacti grow only in the Sonoran desert. They’re huge (up to 45 feet tall.) Per the National Park Service, the Tohono O’odham people consider them not plants, but a type of humanity, and members of their tribe:

The Specs

The 6,063-square-foot house sits on a .46-acre lot with a spectacular view. It has five bedrooms, five full and one-half baths, including a guest suite in a separate casita.

Perusal of this home starts with the master bath, which illustrates the home’s architectural style: Mediterranean, with undulating lines, rounded asymmetrical spaces, surfaces echoing the tones of the desert landscape, and lots of windows to take in the views.

The kitchen is spacious with warm natural finishes. “Something else unique about our community is that our homes come very upgraded on a standard level,” said Manley. “Some of our standard features include Sub Zero and Wolf appliances, natural stone tile or wood floors, soft-closing cabinets, and beautiful knotty-Alder doors.”

This property also has a separate room for wine storage and parking space for three cars.

The kitchen opens to living space with a towering fireplace, and a view of the backyard. Note the dramatic tongue-and-groove ceiling:

Why It’s a Great Buy:

Kayla Manley, Sales Assistant with Dove Mountain Realty who represents the Residences Ritz-Carlton gave us the scoop:

“The property was previously a model home and has every upgrade in the book. It’s an incredible value for the neighborhood, listed at only $1,675K” said Manley. About half of what’s expected to be 100 lots in the project have been sold; 10 homes are currently under construction or about to start. Customizable, pre-designed floor plans range from around 2,000 to 6,000 square feet. Overall pricing starts at just under $1 million and goes to over $3 million.

Who It’s a Perfect Fit For:

Fitness-minded individuals looking for a spacious, single-family house for easy living with a concierge staff available to accommodate a “lock-and-leave” lifestyle, whether the property be used as a vacation house or a permanent residence. Current homeowners are about 50/50 full-time residents. All of the homes are stand-alone. There are no condos, and the community does not allow time-sharing.

“Most of our owners come here for the weather,” said Manley. “They are typically escaping colder climates. We have hiking and biking trails galore and owners have access to The Ritz-Carlton pools, fitness facilities and, of course, our golf club, which is on-site. You can remain active here year-round,” said Manley.

Recent Articles

Tahitienne is one of the first “high-rises” built on Oahu’s Gold Coast. Originally an eight-story building, a ninth-floor penthouse was added at some point. It rests alone with 2,800 square feet plus an additional 645-square-foot lanai that stretches 50 linear feet across the ocean. There are three bedrooms with two-and-a-half bathrooms. Listed at $6.4 million […]

On a street lined historic homes, in a neighborhood full of historic homes, this week’s historical shelter may be small, but it’s also the antidote for any Mardi Gras FOMO you might be experiencing this year. After all, if you’ve been flicking through photos of all the festivities going on right now, you might also […]

Editor’s Note: Recently, MoneyWise revealed its list of the 40 most frugal and friendly places to retire. In a bid to provide an idea of what housing inventory is available in these cities and towns, we’re taking a look at listings in each of the cities on the list. Not everyone can spend $1 million […]